If you ask
me, my expectations with ‘Bollywood’s Top 20’ were to first find out who all
made it to the Top 20, and then discover new facets of their personalities,
growth as performers and their cinematic journeys. There are no issues with the
essays per se but personally I felt that they were quite on the surface and do
not succeed in presenting the superstars intimately.

Most of the
stars who make it to the selected top 20 are expected. So you have the tragedy
king Dilip Kumar to the evergreen Dev Anand to frighteningly popular Rajesh
Khanna, there’s the angry young man Amitabh Bachchan, the quintessential lover
boy Shahrukh Khan, the perfectionist Amir Khan alongwith the self-effacing
K.L.Sehgal, charismatic Devika Rani, showman Raj Kapoor, Indian earthy beauty
Madhuri Dixit and a few more. Frankly, for me - with all due respects to these
actors – Shammi Kapoor, Kajol and Kareena Kapoor don’t quite make the cut. If
we are talking about “the” Top 20 Superstars of all time, then, no. But as Mr
Patel clarifies in the ‘Introduction’, these superstars have been picked up
from different decades. In which case, the title should have suggested
something to that effect.

The cover
page is befitting and celebratory. It is reminiscent of the time when bollywood
posters were hand painted and therefore stood out. The cover page captures the
Bollywood kitsch in all its glory.

The
‘Introduction’ by the editor Bhaichand Patel establishes his credentials well, explains why these 20 have been picked up for this book and introduces
the contributors.

This book
is no classic and no must-have for a film buff, yet I enjoyed reading
it. There seems to be a basic flow to each of the essays. The focus is on
cinematic journeys and most of them stay away from gossip or scandals
associated with the star or have been handled diplomatically. Every chapter
ends with five favourite films of the actor / actress.

I liked
reading about yesteryear actors and actresses like K.L. Sehgal, Devika Rani and
Ashok Kumar. In a way, this book also captures the evolution of Indian cinema
through these superstars. It is interesting to note that in the beginning there
were studios which used to churn out films with the actors and actresses on
their payroll. There was no such thing as freelancing. There are many such
insights, which were fascinating for me as a reader and as a film buff.

The book
also comes with a free CD of 50 memorable songs (picked by the editor).

Film
enthusiasts will love spending their Sunday afternoon, reading about these
popular superstars.

P.S. My mum
was disappointed to read the piece on her favourite Hema Malini because
according to her there was nothing new about the 'dream girl' which she did not know already; while my dad appreciated the little nuggets on his
favourite stars like Dev Anand and Dilip Kumar. So, keep your expectations low
and you will enjoy it J

Thursday, March 1, 2012

‘Hot Tea Across India’
is a collection of experiences put together by travel writer Rishad Saam Mehta,
from his many road trips across India.
The stories are not in any particular order or about any one particular
journey. The chapters – some really entertaining, some interesting while a few
inconsequential - are independent of each other. ‘Tea’ acts as the common
element in all these stories, as the writer reminisces about various cups of
tea he had - of all tastes and compositions!

I have a thing for
travel stories from India.
I am particularly fond of stories from road trips or small, little known places;
which provide opportunities to discover many more facets of India that I am
oblivious of and also to smile fondly at Indian idiosyncrasies and stereotypes.
I believe India
is a dream for any traveler, in terms of what she has to offer. Go to any place;
its flavour, its culture and its people are unique.

I am particularly
fascinated by forts and palaces. It is exciting to walk on the same path which had
been frequented by completely different kind of people, centuries ago. The
author also puts it across very well when he says: “….I consider any ancient monument a time cell, a little module that has
frozen an era within its walls for eternity. Life may go on at frenzied pace
all around its periphery, but within its ramparts or its carved walls, history
looks you in the face as you stare at a legacy of talent, art and architectural
science left behind from centuries ago.”

When I saw ‘Hot Tea
Across India’, it offered 2 things I love - Indian travel stories and tea. I am
addicted to Tea.

The title of the book
is interesting and very catchy but the focus on ‘tea’ in the title could be
misleading because the book is less about tea and more about experiences. The
cover page is quite apt and fetching. It beautifully captures the essence of
various stories narrated by the author. I did not like the font used on the back
cover though. It was difficult to decipher.

Author Rishad Saam
Mehta is among those lucky few who have converted their passion into
profession. He is passionate about traveling and has been writing travel
features for several publications. His travel stories in this book are diverse
- from hitching a ride on a truck from Mumbai to Delhi, to almost losing his beloved bike in
Kargil, from negotiating his way alone through some of the most dangerous
terrains to experiencing unexpected kindness of government officials in getting
back his misplaced bike. Unexpected turn of events and interesting people, are
the two things which make every travel story interesting, and the author has
packed in enough of those in this book.

‘Hot Tea Across India’
is an easy read. I was particularly impressed by the author’s effortless
writing style – witty and articulate. Sample these:

“… They were three
foreign tourists riding hired Enfield
Bullets: one of them was shirtless, another was shoeless, all three seemed
clueless about the consternation they had caused by jumping barriers. They rode
towards the policemen exuberantly calling out, ‘ Juley, juley’ – Ladakh’s happy
word for hello – not realising that Ladakh was a few hundred kilometres behind
and a very sticky situation lay ahead.”

“…He, of course, thought his voice was as smooth as silk
and could carry the same strain of sorrow that Mukesh was so good at – when in
fact it had the abrasiveness of heavy-duty factory grade sand paper.”

“…Zubair,
unaccustomed to transportation that moved so fast and turned so rapidly within
such a small radius, was fighting to keep his morning tea within the confines
of his stomach and was going green in the process.”

The piece where he
recounts his Maruti Van’s story in its voice (chapter ‘Automotive Love’) is quite
funny, while the chapter ‘Unbiased Bullet’ was another laugh-out-loud part of
this book.

This book is not so
much about information about places mentioned but interesting experiences of a
traveler. Over all, the book will appeal to anyone who loves reading travel
stories or travelogues. The only thing which I felt missing was a few pictures,
perhaps!